MX Class

Properties   Methods   Events   Config Settings   Errors  

The MX class enables querying of mail exchange (MX) records from a Domain Name Server (DNS). Thus, it will find out the names of the mail servers accepting email for a given email address or domain.

Syntax

class ipworks.MX

Remarks

The class will attempt to automatically determine the name of a DNS server from the system settings or from the value of the dns_server property.

The class operates in synchronous or asynchronous mode, depending on the value of the timeout property. Calling the resolve method makes the class query the dns_server. The on_response event is fired for each server that handles mail for the email address. The class will fill out the mail_server property with the most preferred mail server and will set the status property to "OK" or to an error message upon completion.

The request_id property may be used to identify requests and is used in the on_response event. The user may set its value before sending out requests and then match the responses to the request using the RequestId parameter in the on_response event.

Property List

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The following is the full list of the properties of the class with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Method List

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The following is the full list of the methods of the class with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Event List

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The following is the full list of the events fired by the class with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Config Settings

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The following is a list of config settings for the class with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

dns_port Property

This property includes the port where the DNS server is listening.

Syntax

def get_dns_port() -> int: ...
def set_dns_port(value: int) -> None: ...

dns_port = property(get_dns_port, set_dns_port)

Default Value

53

Remarks

This property contains the port where the DNS server is listening. The default value is 53, but you may set this property to any other value for use with experimental servers and such.

dns_server Property

This is the address of the DNS server.

Syntax

def get_dns_server() -> str: ...
def set_dns_server(value: str) -> None: ...

dns_server = property(get_dns_server, set_dns_server)

Default Value

""

Remarks

This property contains the address of the DNS server. The class attempts to find the default DNS server for the machine where it is installed, and provide it in the dns_server property. You may change it to any particular DNS server you want to query. While any internet host running a DNS service will suffice, it is preferable to use either the DNS server for your network or the DNS server for the domain that you are querying.

If the class cannot determine the default DNS server address, the property value will be an empty string.

Note: Automatic discovery of the default DNS server is not supported in the Java edition.

idle Property

The current status of the class.

Syntax

def get_idle() -> bool: ...

idle = property(get_idle, None)

Default Value

TRUE

Remarks

This property will be False if the component is currently busy (communicating or waiting for an answer), and True at all other times.

This property is read-only.

local_host Property

The name of the local host or user-assigned IP interface through which connections are initiated or accepted.

Syntax

def get_local_host() -> str: ...
def set_local_host(value: str) -> None: ...

local_host = property(get_local_host, set_local_host)

Default Value

""

Remarks

This property contains the name of the local host as obtained by the gethostname() system call, or if the user has assigned an IP address, the value of that address.

In multihomed hosts (machines with more than one IP interface) setting LocalHost to the IP address of an interface will make the class initiate connections (or accept in the case of server classs) only through that interface. It is recommended to provide an IP address rather than a hostname when setting this property to ensure the desired interface is used.

If the class is connected, the local_host property shows the IP address of the interface through which the connection is made in internet dotted format (aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd). In most cases, this is the address of the local host, except for multihomed hosts (machines with more than one IP interface).

Note: local_host is not persistent. You must always set it in code, and never in the property window.

mail_server Property

This property includes the mail server with the lowest precedence value (lowest cost to reach).

Syntax

def get_mail_server() -> str: ...

mail_server = property(get_mail_server, None)

Default Value

""

Remarks

This property contains the mail server with lowest precedence value (lowest cost to reach). After all events are fired, this property holds the name of the best mail server for the supplied email address, and the status property holds the completion status.

This property is read-only.

request_id Property

This property identifies each request.

Syntax

def get_request_id() -> int: ...
def set_request_id(value: int) -> None: ...

request_id = property(get_request_id, set_request_id)

Default Value

0

Remarks

This property identifies each request. This may be useful if several email addresses need to be resolved. Each request may be identified by the user before starting a query by calling the resolve method.

If a custom value is needed for request_id, the property must be set before resolving an email address. The class increments request_id automatically after sending each request.

status Property

The status of the request is empty while in progress. This property is set to OK or to an error message upon completion.

Syntax

def get_status() -> str: ...

status = property(get_status, None)

Default Value

""

Remarks

This property is reset each time the resolve method is called. When a response comes from the dns_server, this property is set to "OK" in case of success or to an error message as described in the on_response event.

This property is read-only.

timeout Property

This property includes the timeout for the class.

Syntax

def get_timeout() -> int: ...
def set_timeout(value: int) -> None: ...

timeout = property(get_timeout, set_timeout)

Default Value

60

Remarks

If the timeout property is set to 0, all operations return immediately, potentially failing with a WOULDBLOCK error if data cannot be sent immediately.

If timeout is set to a positive value, data is sent in a blocking manner and the class will wait for the operation to complete before returning control. The class will handle any potential WOULDBLOCK errors internally and automatically retry the operation for a maximum of timeout seconds.

The class will use do_events to enter an efficient wait loop during any potential waiting period, making sure that all system events are processed immediately as they arrive. This ensures that the host application does not freeze and remains responsive.

If timeout expires, and the operation is not yet complete, the class fails with an error.

Note: By default, all timeouts are inactivity timeouts, that is, the timeout period is extended by timeout seconds when any amount of data is successfully sent or received.

The default value for the timeout property is 60 seconds.

config Method

Sets or retrieves a configuration setting.

Syntax

def config(configuration_string: str) -> str: ...

Remarks

config is a generic method available in every class. It is used to set and retrieve configuration settings for the class.

These settings are similar in functionality to properties, but they are rarely used. In order to avoid "polluting" the property namespace of the class, access to these internal properties is provided through the config method.

To set a configuration setting named PROPERTY, you must call Config("PROPERTY=VALUE"), where VALUE is the value of the setting expressed as a string. For boolean values, use the strings "True", "False", "0", "1", "Yes", or "No" (case does not matter).

To read (query) the value of a configuration setting, you must call Config("PROPERTY"). The value will be returned as a string.

do_events Method

This method processes events from the internal message queue.

Syntax

def do_events() -> None: ...

Remarks

When do_events is called, the class processes any available events. If no events are available, it waits for a preset period of time, and then returns.

interrupt Method

This method interrupts the current method.

Syntax

def interrupt() -> None: ...

Remarks

If there is no method in progress, interrupt simply returns, doing nothing.

reset Method

This method will reset the class.

Syntax

def reset() -> None: ...

Remarks

This method will reset the class's properties to their default values.

resolve Method

This method resolves an email address.

Syntax

def resolve(email_address: str) -> None: ...

Remarks

This method resolves an email address. Calling this method directs the class to query dns_server at port dns_port about MX records related to EmailAddress.

The server's response is provided through one or more on_response events.

After the query completes, the mail_server property is set to the best mail server and the status property includes the result description of the response.

Valid queries are email addresses like name@company.com or hostnames and domains like domain.com.

Example. Determine Top Priority Mail Server of Email Address:

MXControl.Resolve "email@server.com" While MXControl.MailServer = "" MXControl.DoEvents() End While BestMailServer = MXControl.MailServer

on_error Event

Fired when information is available about errors during data delivery.

Syntax

class MXErrorEventParams(object):
  @property
  def error_code() -> int: ...

  @property
  def description() -> str: ...

# In class MX:
@property
def on_error() -> Callable[[MXErrorEventParams], None]: ...
@on_error.setter
def on_error(event_hook: Callable[[MXErrorEventParams], None]) -> None: ...

Remarks

The on_error event is fired in case of exceptional conditions during message processing. Normally the class fails with an error.

The ErrorCode parameter contains an error code, and the Description parameter contains a textual description of the error. For a list of valid error codes and their descriptions, please refer to the Error Codes section.

on_response Event

This event is fired for each MailServer accepting email for the domain.

Syntax

class MXResponseEventParams(object):
  @property
  def request_id() -> int: ...

  @property
  def domain() -> str: ...

  @property
  def mail_server() -> str: ...

  @property
  def precedence() -> int: ...

  @property
  def time_to_live() -> int: ...

  @property
  def status_code() -> int: ...

  @property
  def description() -> str: ...

  @property
  def authoritative() -> bool: ...

# In class MX:
@property
def on_response() -> Callable[[MXResponseEventParams], None]: ...
@on_response.setter
def on_response(event_hook: Callable[[MXResponseEventParams], None]) -> None: ...

Remarks

A on_response event is fired for each mail server handling email for the requested domain. The RequestId parameter identifies the request and equals the value of request_id property right before the resolve method is called. MailServer is the name of the server handling the email for the requested Domain. A lower Precedence value should be preferred. The TimeToLive parameter gives the validity time in seconds before the dns_server should be queried again.

Possible values for the StatusCode and Description parameters are as follows:

After the last on_response event is fired, the class sets the mail_server and status properties to the best MailServer and the error or success code, respectively.

MX Config Settings

The class accepts one or more of the following configuration settings. Configuration settings are similar in functionality to properties, but they are rarely used. In order to avoid "polluting" the property namespace of the class, access to these internal properties is provided through the config method.

UDP Config Settings

Socket Config Settings

Base Config Settings

MX Errors

MX Errors

The class may also return one of the following error codes, which are inherited from other classes.

UDP Errors

SSL Errors

TCP/IP Errors